


Rose Petals and Candle Smoke

by OMGitsgreen



Series: Betwixt Bewitched [2]
Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Child Abuse, Character Study, Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts, F/M, First Kiss, First Love, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Harvey Kinkle is good and kind, so much so that not even Zelda can dislike him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-24 16:02:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16643369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OMGitsgreen/pseuds/OMGitsgreen
Summary: "They said that the dead in Greendale weren't quite right and neither were the Spellmans, so stay away from the Spellmans. The later had been reiterated to him by his father multiple times in multiple tones but with little effect. Harvey was still drawn to Sabrina like a moth to a flame." Harvey Kinkle is in love with Sabrina Spellman, that much is certain. Harvey Kinkle is also terrified of her family hating him, which seems almost inevitable.





	Rose Petals and Candle Smoke

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I’m back again. I had a surprise snow day so I was able to finish this fic up earlier than expected! Consider this a part 2 to my other harvina fic, but can absolutely be read on its own! 
> 
> Based off the headcanons that Harvey mentions that he “doesn’t really know her Aunts”, which leads me to believe he has had interactions with them before. Also the fact that for wanting Sabrina to forgo her human buddies, both Zelda and Hilda are oddly...like...okay with Harvey. AKA even they can see that Harvey is a a gentle and kind soul. 
> 
> trigger warnings: canon typical child abuse

No one went to the Spellman house unless they were going there for a funeral.

The kids always whispered about the house that stood like a gravemarker over a morgue. They said that if you stared at it for too long it looked like it would crawl off from the hill and disappear into the woods. Others said that you could find two-headed frogs in the tall grass, deer with sharp teeth haunting the edges of the forest, and a dog that looked out from beyond the graves with human eyes. They said that the dead in Greendale weren't quite right and neither were the Spellmans, so stay away from the Spellmans. The later had been reiterated to him by his father multiple times in multiple tones but with little effect. Harvey was still drawn to Sabrina like a moth to a flame.

But still, standing at the bottom of the long driveway by the sign that announced the Spellman Mortuary, Harvey couldn't help but wonder if those rumors were slightly true. He saw no weird dogs or frogs, nor did the house look anything but solidly placed. But there was something in the air at the Spellman's, something tangible and living. And when you felt that sure about something being alive near a bunch of gravestones, it was unsettling. Not that Harvey wasn't already a scaredy-cat to begin with and it took much to unnerve him. That, he was keenly aware of.

Gripping the strap of his backpack, he climbed the steep slope, past the gravestones and a garden, before walking up to the porch and arriving at the door. He knocked on the door quickly, so that he wouldn't lose the nerve to do it.

The door opened almost immediately to reveal a young man. Harvey stared at him, mostly because he hadn't expected him. Sabrina had mentioned that she had a cousin who lived with her, but he was older than he had expected. He looked to be in that foggy valley between teenaged years and college-aged. He wore dark jeans, a tee-shirt, and a robe, while he sipped at a tea cup in his hands and regarded Harvey as one might an exotic animal at a zoo.

He leaned against the door frame with the sort of practiced ease that Harvey wished he had and smiled at him knowingly. He was like Tommy, in the way he was so comfortable in his own skin. For a second Harvey thought he might've been wrong, that maybe he was older than he seemed, but he pushed it aside quickly. That was a stupid thought.

“Well, hello there. Who have we got here?” he said before motioning towards him with his porcelain cup. “Oh, yeah. Harvey, right? Sabrina said you guys were doing a project. I'm Ambrose Spellman, nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you,” Harvey repeated and was glad he didn't stumble. Harvey had a hard time talking with people he didn't know, especially people who were older than him. Ambrose opened the door wide and motioned him in. As he walked in Ambrose put his hand on his shoulder and Harvey jumped. It was like static electricity had shot across his skin, and he resisted the urge to yelp. Ambrose studied him for a moment before sighing and looking somewhat amused.

“You know, there's sensitive and then there's nearly empathic young man,” Ambrose chuckled. “Of course Sabrina made friends with a half-empath who am I kidding?”

“What?” Harvey asked, not following this at all.

“He's kidding,” said Sabrina, who appeared from a side door, looking flustered. She gave Ambrose a look and he slunk back like a cat who had been caught somewhere it shouldn’t have been.

“Not kidding, Cousin,” Ambrose grumbled before raising his cup in a half-cheers and sliding downstairs.

“Sorry about him,” Sabrina told Harvey. “He likes messing with people.”

“It's okay,” Harvey promised. “It wouldn't be the first time.”

Sabrina smiled at him and Harvey was about to say something else when a woman rushed into the room. Middle aged and with a smile that glowed, she clasped her hands together. She wore a floral print shirt and corduroy pants, and had a smudge of flour at her cheek.

“Darling,” she said to Sabrina, with a British accent like Ambrose. “Is this your friend?”

“Yeah, this is Harvey Kinkle. Harvey, this is my Aunt Hilda,” Sabrina introduced.

“Oh it is so nice to meet you, Sabrina's told me all about you. Only good things mind you,” Aunt Hilda said as she reached forward to grasp his hands. Standing close to her was like cozying up next to a fire, she was like cinnamon and sugar and butter and all things good, and her hands were warm and comforting. She was like the Aunt that Harvey had dreamed of having. However, as she looked upon him, that smiled dimmed with a look of concern. “Oh dear. Dear, dear, dear.”

Harvey rocked back on his heels, suddenly he got the feeling that Hilda was looking through him. Seeing something inside of him that Harvey didn't want her to see. He didn’t know what to do, so he remained there.

“Auntie?” Sabrina asked, concerned.

“It's nothing, sweet,” Aunt Hilda said before giving Harvey a smile just for him and releasing him, and just like that the spell was broken. “I've made snickerdoodles. They're one of Sabrina's favorite. I'll go pop in the kitchen and--” 

“Don't pop anywhere, sister,” came an imposing voice. The other woman drifted from the top of the elegant staircase, as if she were gliding off of a movie set from age of the silver screen. What was she holding? Harvey thought incredulously. It was like a tiny claw that was keeping a cigarette in place.

“Zelda!” squeaked Aunt Hilda.

“I am Zelda Spellman, Sabrina's aunt,” she introduced, and instead of offering her hand she flipped her hair. “And you are the _Kinkle_ boy are you not?”

The way she said Kinkle was almost like the way some people said spiders or famine or polio. The only thing that Harvey could think of was how his dad must've done something to piss her off. Harvey sank down in his shoes, just wishing he could disappear. He couldn't do anything right could he? It was like he was cursed.

“Yeah,” Harvey said, burning with shame. Now Sabrina would see, he thought miserably. She would see what her aunt saw and what his father saw when they looked at him. A waste of space.

“Well,” she said, as if him breathing the same air as her was slightly insulting. “You two shall be staying in the living room to do your project. And if I sense any funny business--”

“Auntie!” Sabrina hissed. Harvey was left wondering about a hypothetical situation where he tripped off the porch and died. It would be pretty convenient if he could just be buried in the yard.

“Zelda,” Aunt Hilda said, waving her hands in panic. “No, Zelda. Harvey is a good boy, a very good boy. You needn't worry.”

Aunt Hilda gripped Zelda's arm. Something passed between the two, so quickly that Harvey almost missed it. Zelda seemed to relent with a long-suffering sigh, a sigh that said that this world was too troublesome for her to deal with.

“Very well, stay in the living room. No wandering around. Hilda, keep an eye on them. And get me some tea,” Zelda said before disappearing back into the kitchen.

“I'll be right back, lovelies,” Hilda said, pressing a kiss to Sabrina's temple before hurrying off behind her sister like a shadow. Harvey watched them go and released a harsh breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding.

“I'm sorry, they can all be intense,” Sabrina said as she tugged at a curl that had escaped her hairband and tucked it back into place.

“Uh, yeah, that's an understatement,” Harvey said as he rubbed his arms. “I think your Aunt Zelda wants to eat me.” 

“Probably,” Sabrina said with a grin before pulling at his arm. “Come on. Let's get going on this thing then.”

Harvey followed her into the sitting area and was floored. It was dark wood and velvet and silk curtains, porcelain statues and silver. Harvey was scared to even breath on anything, lest he tarnish a single piece. When he related this fear to Sabrina she smiled at him as she arranged pillows--full of feathers, Harvey realized. Was there anything in this house that wasn’t decadent?

“It's really okay, I'll keep Aunt Zelda from eating you. She's really just that hissy with everyone,” Sabrina promised him soothingly, probably interpreting Harvey’s quiet awe of the house as worry. Harvey shook his head slowly.

“But...your house is so nice, I understand why she wouldn't want someone to come in and mess it up,” Harvey explained as he crossed his legs.

“You...don't think it's creepy?” Sabrina asked and then looked guilty. “I was surprised that you wanted to do the project here instead of at your house. Granted my Aunts don't like visitors but…”

“It's not creepy, I mean, it's a bit creepy,” Harvey corrected himself, eyeing what was definitely an urn and Sabrina laughed. And that was exactly why he wanted to stay as far away from his house as possible. There would’ve been no laughter, snickerdoodles, and feather pillows at his house. His dad would have ruined it. He always ruined everything. “But, I don't really know. I like it, is all. It has character. It reminds me of something in a comic.”

Sabrina looked like she wanted to comment on that, but before she could her Aunt Hilda came back into the room.

“Alright my darlings,” Hilda said as she returned with a tray. There was an ornate tea kettle and cups with honeysuckles painted delicately across the edge. Harvey was terrified that if he touched a cup it would crack on the calluses between his fingers. And there was a dizzying array of cookies--snickerdoodles dusted with sugar and pale green macarons. “Now, I'm just going to be reading my book. If you need any help just let me know.”

“Thank you, really, you didn't need to do this for me,” Harvey said, calculating quickly what he should do and how he might possibly thank her. He could feel his father's hot breath at his neck, no charity from anyone, everything we have we earn that's the Kinkle way--

He took a macaron and ate it, hoping to show his appreciation. When he popped a macaron in his mouth, his brain stopped working. Almond and mint and vanilla cream melted over his tongue. It was probably the most delicious thing he had ever eaten in his life, and Harvey was dumbfounded. How did Sabrina live when the food was so cripplingly good?

“Don't you worry yourself over it, love,” Hilda explained with a fond look before grasping her book. “Now let your Auntie Hilda know if you need anything, alright?”

“Thanks Auntie,” Sabrina said and her Aunt Hilda sat down.

The actual project was a simple one. In history they had to choose a historical figure who signed the Constitution and make a poster. They had chosen Roger Sherman, and went about typing and printing facts, and finding pictures. Harvey doodled around the edge and Sabrina said she liked the pattern so much that she encouraged him to design the rather filigree border on all the corners. Every once in a while, Hilda would hem and haw about some picture muttering about how it “didn't really look like that” and even once Zelda popped her head in with a scowl and corrected something.

“Your aunts sure do know a lot about history,” Harvey said in awe, sneaking a cookie off Sabrina’s plate. She swatted at his hand half-heartedly, before sliding the plate over towards him anyways. When he had asked his dad for help with his homework, his dad just usually said something along the lines of 'shit like this doesn't matter in the real world, do you think that has to do with my bills now?’ Which, Harvey often interpreted as being his father delicately explaining that he didn't know the answer and wasn't bothered enough to learn it.

“My Aunts are giant history buffs,” Sabrina said, giving Aunt Hilda a look to which she ducked down in her book.

They finished up the project in record time, with flourish even. Harvey packed up his things and Sabrina followed him to the door. Tommy was just pulling up in the truck and waved at him. Harvey waved back.

“We're totally going to get an A,” Harvey said and Sabrina smiled.

“Oh, absolutely,” Sabrina said, raising her hand and slapping Harvey a high-five.

“Wait, wait,” Aunt Hilda said, rushing forward with a bag full of cookies. “For you, dear, and your brother Tommy.”

“Thank you Ms. Spellman,” Harvey said, hugging the bag to his chest. It was warm, almost like a small animal, and he cradled it gently. “It was really nice meeting you.”

“Don't go being a stranger now,” said Ambrose who had seemingly melted out the shadows. He was sitting on the bannister, in his robe and light shirt, and Harvey had no idea how he wasn't freezing. He gave the truck a look Harvey didn't really get with a wicked looking grin. “Especially not your brother. How old was he again?”

“He's graduating high school--”

“Don't give him ideas,” Sabrina told him and Harvey realized he was missing something. As always there was some subtext here he wasn't getting.

“Ambrose,” Zelda said casting him a warning look.

“Oh, I'm sure Harvey wouldn't mind,” Ambrose said.

“Mind what?” Harvey asked.

“Ugh, don't be obnoxious,” Sabrina told him, to which Ambrose stuck out his tongue and accepted a joking smack on the arm. “Bye Harvey.”

Harvey stood at the top of the stairs for a moment, lingering. He wanted to hug Sabrina goodbye, but in the end he was too shy. Also he was pretty sure that if he tried, he might legitimately burst into flames due to the intensity in Zelda Spellman's disappointed look.

“Bye, Brina,” Harvey said with a wave before walking down the steps and to the truck. He pulled the door close as his brother put the car into gear.

“Hey kiddo, how was your day?” Tommy asked him, ruffling his hair.

“Good,” Harvey said simply before remembering something. “Do you know Ms. Hilda Spellman? She knew your name.”

“This is Greendale, Harvey. Everyone knows everyone,” Tommy scoffed as he pulled out and the house on the hill disappeared beyond the trees. For a moment, Harvey wondered if it really might disappear into the fog, taking Sabrina and the odd characters in her family with it to disappear in some other world.

“Right,” Harvey said, pushing that out of his mind. “Want a cookie?”

* * *

“I'm telling you,” Sabrina said as she tossed another kernel in the air and caught it between her teeth. She never missed. “I don't just understand why he didn't just ask Desdemona. I understand it was meant to be a comment on the fragility of male pride but it was so obvious that Iago was being shady.”

“Well, that was part of his character,” Harvey pointed out. “Othello was trusting. Too trusting.”

“Iago deserved a good punch in the throat, or at least a knife in the back somewhere dark,” Sabrina said rather seriously.

“Sabrina, you are the most Slytherin person I know,” Harvey told her.

“The Slytherin to your Hufflepuff,” Sabrina said with a smile as she knocked her shoulder against his.

“There is nothing wrong with being a Hufflepuff,” Harvey told her.

“I know, I'm not saying there is,” Sabrina hummed with a little half-smile that was just for him. Harvey was sure he was nearly glowing. “So, is your dad coming to the Open House?”

“No, the high school's Open House is tonight too. Dad will go to Tommy's thing, since it has to do with football,” Harvey explained.

“But don't you have an art thing?”

“It's not a big deal, Sabrina,” Harvey said simply, hoping she would drop it, especially because he didn't want to explain that he didn't want to see his father at all if he could help it. Thankfully she did.

Since Tommy was busy at the high school, Harvey had no one to pick him up and bring him back to the middle school. Harvey took his pocket money and walked to Dr. Cerberus’, where he got himself dinner and drew in his notebook until the time came to walk back to the middle school.

His art teacher was happy for the help as Harvey helped hang the rest of the paintings in the hallway. He stopped under his and looked at it for a moment. Ms. K caught him there, looking at his own painting.

“You know, I'm sure if you are interested we could put together a portfolio,” Ms. Kinsley said. “There is that art high school--”

“I...thank you so much Ms. K. But really, I'll be fine at Greendale High,” Harvey told her, and Ms. K seemed content to let it go in the meantime.

Parents and families began filtering in shortly after. Harvey was having a fairly good time, saying hello to the other kids he knew and their parents, and gathering donations for more art supplies at the desk they had set up. During the slow moments Harvey even had time to do some drawing in his notebook.

It was when he was distracted by his notebook and deep in the zone, finishing the antler of a deer when he heard footsteps he recognized that set his hair standing on end.

It was his Father who glared at him from other side of the table, large and intimidating, and with his arms crossed his chest. He looked so disappointed and angry that Harvey felt himself sinking down in his chair with just the sight of it.

“Dad,” Harvey croaked.

“Get up,” he ordered, and Harvey obeyed. He moved close so that only Harvey could hear him. “I just got a call from your fucking math teacher. Move your ass or else I'll be late to Tommy's ceremony.”

Harvey again compiled automatically, not even saying a word to Ms. K. He couldn't. His dad was in one of his dark moods, and Harvey had to obey or else face dire consequences. He had ruined his father's night--one of the only things that made his dad happy was Tommy's accomplishments and Harvey had ruined it. Really, it was only natural that he paid the consequences. Harvey was marched down the hall, and his dad placed a hand on his shoulder. The fingers were still pliant, and yet the command was clear: if you say something stupid, I'm going to fucking kill you.

The long road ended on the second floor and at the end of that hallway. His math teacher was Mr. Robbins, and as soon as he saw Harvey's dad's expression the smile seemed forced on his mouth. He finished up the meeting with the family he was with quickly, before motioning them forward. The other family--the father greeted his dad with deference before moving his daughter and wife away from the coming storm. 

“Mr. Kinkle, good evening,” he said, eyes flashing between him and Harvey. “Would you like to sit?”

His father didn't answer the question but remained standing. With the slightest press Harvey was sat down by his father.

“He has a D?” Dad asked, dispensing with pleasantries. The hand was still on his shoulder and Harvey didn't dare move a muscle.

“We've only had one test so far,” Mr. Robbins said slowly, as if testing the waters. “So Harvey's grade can certainly recover. I would like to think of some strategies with you and Harvey to improve his grade.”

“Strategies? Do I look like a teacher?” Dad asked, looking disgusted. “So what, Harvey needs to make up work or redo the test?”

“We could do that. I would also like to discuss extra support--”

“Harvey doesn't need extra support. He needs to man up,” his Dad said, jaw working angrily, there was an uncomfortable squeeze in his hand.

“If he could I would like him to stay after or before class--”

“Do I look like I can mess around with my schedule?” Dad demanded. His father's thumb was digging into Harvey's shoulder blade, a pinch of pain which had Harvey sweating. “Harvey will do whatever make up work you need him to do and redo the test.”

Mr. Robbins looked troubled and Harvey pleaded with him. Please, Harvey thought. Please just agree. Don't make him angrier with me.

“Are you alright with that Harvey?” Mr. Robbins asked him directly. This startled both Harvey and his Dad, because Harvey was a waste of space and couldn't answer for himself and couldn't do anything right. And yet his teacher wanted to know his opinion?

Harvey's words were like ash in his mouth. The authoritative grip felt like cold iron on his shoulder. Help me, Harvey wanted to say. He could almost feel it on the tip of his tongue. He was disappearing into his father's shadow, into the darkcoldscared. Help me, please.

Instead, Harvey nodded.

“Okay then,” Mr. Robbins said. “I'll see you in class.”

Harvey couldn't remember leaving the classroom. But suddenly he was by the side exit with his dad and his dad grabbed him by his neck and forced him against the wall. Harvey’s yelp was caught in his throat. Dad looked like something was grinding under the surface of his skin.

“You are a Kinkle you hear me?” Dad demanded, just barely above a hiss. “We do not fail. And we do not accept handouts or pity. Are you fucking listening to me?”

His dad smacked him across his cheek. Harvey had been hit harder but this was in public and just meant to frighten him. And it did. His dad had never hit him where people might see before.

“I swear you pull this shit because you are ungrateful. I keep this family together, I work hard, I put food in your belly. And yet you just fucking piss it all away. All my fucking hard work. If anything gets through that thick numbskull of yours let it be this, anything like this happens again? Do you know what I'm going to do to you?”

His dad raised his hand and Harvey flinched back and--

His dad pulled his hand away and shoved Harvey again. His spine hit the wall with force and made his legs go weak. His dad sneered at him.

“Chicken shit,” his dad told him, pushing his way out the side door and leaving Harvey there alone.

Harvey crumpled against the wall. His stomach clenched and twisted, and Harvey swallowed back bile. He sank down wrapping his arms around his stomach and desperately tried to keep himself from throwing up. If that was all he could control, that was all he focused on. But he couldn't breathe, the air wasn't coming and everything seemed so small. Tommy was going to come get him after his thing, but he couldn't go back home. He could see it--see the belt, the basement, and it would hurt. But he couldn't tell Tommy. Tommy would want to protect him but Harvey couldn't let him--

“Harvey Kinkle?”

The voice was quiet, not kind and yet also not angry. Harvey couldn't lift his head without another wave of nausea sweeping over him. But there was a cool hand at his back, soft and feminine, and she said something that Harvey couldn't hear over the sound of his rasping gasps and heartbeat and chattering teeth.

And then horrible drowning feeling eased, and Harvey could breath. He looked up and saw Sabrina's Aunt Zelda, looking down at him. She elegantly arranged her skirt on the floor before looking on at the hallway dispassionately.

“I'm sorry, Mrs. Spellman,” Harvey apologized because this was Sabrina's Aunt Zelda and she was sitting on the dirty floor of the middle school next to him acting like a giant baby. “I-I just, my stomach hurt.”

“That’s Ms. Spellman to you,” she sniffed. “Do you often have panic attacks?”

“Panic attacks?” Harvey asked dumbly. “Is that what that is?”

He hadn't known there was a name for them. Other people had them? That made him feel oddly better. Harvey had just thought it was him being a wimp.

“I am sorry,” Zelda Spellman said as she touched his chin and inspected him deeply, fingers splayed against his cheek and cooled the heat from his father's hand. Her blue eyes were dark, and Harvey could almost feel himself slip in. “No one deserves to be so scared, but especially not a child. You have paid dearly already. But do not worry or despair, the debt shall be repaid. _He_ sees to that.”

Harvey stared at her numbly. It was like something Mr. Walker would have said during his yearly blessing of the mines. That was all the religion that Harvey really got since his dad was the Father of his house. But Zelda Spellman's words had a distinctly religious tone to them, reverential even, but was sanitized as if for Harvey's lowly understanding.

Was Zelda talking about God? Was Harvey's first clear thought. For a multitude of reasons, Harvey doubted God cared about some stupid kid from Greendale enough to collect on any debts.

“Auntie Z? Harvey?”

Sabrina was at the end of the hall, wreathed in light. And despite the circumstances, Harvey managed a smile for her.

“Hi 'Brina,” Harvey said weakly.

“Are you okay?” Sabrina asked, and Harvey took Zelda's hand. It was surprisingly strong and she helped hoist him up. Sabrina immediately inspected him for sickness or wounds. “What happened?”

“Stomach ache,” Harvey told her and the stinging in his face was gone. Perhaps his father had hit him more lightly than he had thought.

“Sabrina, why don't you take Harvey to get something to drink. To settle his stomach,” Zelda said breezily. “I'll be back.”

“There's some good fruit punch,” Sabrina said with a smile, sharing a look with Zelda before motioning for Harvey to follow. Gratefully, Harvey let Sabrina lead him and left Zelda behind. He preferred her to his dad any day, but there was something about her that set him on edge.

Sabrina did most of the talking, which Harvey was grateful for. They got their fruit punch and Harvey caught Sabrina spooning in extra marshmallows into Harvey's cup. Harvey dreaded the idea of going home, but, at least for the present Harvey was content.

“Is that yours?” Sabrina asked as she pointed to his painting. “It's beautiful, Harvey.”

Harvey refocused, and realized they had wandered back to the Art hallway. The painting was of a tree, one that was behind his house. A maple tree that almost seemed to be on fire with the coming autumn, leaves a scorching red against the blue twilight. Harvey loved that tree, and could see it from his bedroom window. When the leaves fell in the winter, it made him feel unbearably lonely.

“Thanks, Sabrina,” Harvey said and Sabrina reached out and squeezed his hand. It sent electricity shooting through his veins. “Hey Sabrina?”

“Yeah?” Sabrina asked, looking at him. And it was on the tip of his tongue. He hated lying to Sabrina, he wanted to tell Sabrina the truth. But he couldn't. Not yet. Maybe one day, he'd be brave enough.

“It's nothing,” Harvey said with a shake of his head. Sabrina curled her arm around his and rested her head against his shoulder.

“I'm here, whenever you want to talk,” Sabrina promised him. “So when you're ready, I'll listen.”

“I know,” Harvey promised, his voice thick.

“You're safe with me,” Sabrina told him firmly.

“Yeah,” Harvey said as he leaned on her. “I know I am.” 

Tommy came to pick him up shortly after. His expression was subdued as Harvey climbed in. Tommy didn't speak, just reached over and squeezed his shoulder.

“I'll be okay,” Harvey told Tommy. “I promise.”

“Don't go comforting me now,” Tommy told him, giving him a side hug.

“How's Dad?” Harvey asked as Tommy let go and put the car in drive.

“Dad went home sick,” Tommy explained. “Said his stomach was killing him or something. We'll probably be on our own tonight. Anything you want to do?”

“Maybe go get a milkshake,” Harvey said after a sigh of relief.

“Can do,” Tommy said as he turned down the street.

For tonight, at least, he'd be safe.

* * *

“You look good,” Tommy said as tying the tie on around his neck. He kept it look and when it was ready, he slipped it over Harvey's head and tightened it up.

It was the night of the Last Chance Dance. The summer night was alive and pulsing. The summer breeze blew through the kitchen through the open window, carrying the scent of grass and fresh leaves, and the sound of crickets and frogs. Harvey had gone through this event in his head about a dozen times, but somehow the fact that it was here was still baffling. And the fact he was going with Sabrina Spellman was even more unbelievable. 

“You think so?” Harvey asked, straightening out his jacket.

“I'm proud of you,” Tommy said. “You actually did it.”

“I know, I still can't believe it,” Harvey said with a smile. He didn't think he had stopped grinning since he had managed to ask Sabrina to the dance.

They through the doors together and his dad glanced at him from the recliner. There was a beer open on the side table, and a game show on. At the sight of Harvey, his father raised an incredulous eyebrow.

“Shit, that dance is tonight?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Harvey said simply, sliding on his shoes.

“Don't wear brown shoes with black pants. Black shoes, Harvey,” his father said. Harvey realized that he had grabbed the brown ones and quickly went up to grab the black dress shoes he had. By the time he had come downstairs, both Tommy and his dad were squaring off as if they had been having an important discussions.

“Um…?” Harvey asked, breaking the tension with unusual ease.

“Come here,” his dad said. “Give me your arms.”

Harvey did so, and to his surprise his father carefully clipped in cufflinks, silver and polished like a mirror. He did it delicately, with a gentleness Harvey had never realized his old rough miner hands were capable of.

“Dad, are you sure--?”

“No son of mine is going to a formal dance dressed like a bum. Those were your great-grandfather's. If you lose those I'll kick your ass into next week.”

Harvey was now torn between refusing the cufflinks and keeping them. He quickly calculated the different scenarios before just nodding. His father even gave him a pat on the shoulder.

“I won't, thanks Dad,” Harvey said, and his father sat himself back down in the recliner.

“Are you sure you don't want me to drive you?” Tommy asked as they walked out on the porch together.

“Positive,” Harvey said, and accepted a hug from Tommy.

“Have fun tonight,” Tommy told him, giving him a squeeze before quietly slipping Harvey the box he had hidden from their dad. Harvey grabbed the flower corsage he had bought Sabrina.

“Thanks Tommy,” Harvey said, before grabbing the keys and heading out to the car.

His stomach was full of butterflies as he pulled up to Sabrina's home. Not even the gravestones and the mist was enough to damper his high spirits. He looked at himself in the mirror, fiddling with his hair and making sure everything was in order.

“You can do this,” Harvey told himself. Though his reflection didn't seem convinced, Harvey put himself out there anyways.

The house wasn't as terrifying and intimidating as the last time he was here. However, it was Ambrose again who answered the door. What was it that Sabrina said? Ambrose is allergic to dressing properly. It was in stark contrast to Sabrina, who always liked to look put together. Today he was dressed in slouchy sweatpants, a shirt that was suspiciously see-through, and a silk robe.

“Evening, dapper gent,” Ambrose greeted with a knowing glint in his eyes. “I called Sabrina when I saw you pull in. She said she needed a minute. Hilda is helping with her hair and they are putting on the final touches.”

“Good evening,” Harvey said to Ambrose. “And that's okay I'm fine waiting.”

“Let me take a look at you,” Ambrose said, grasping him by the shoulders, and this time he didn't jump at the feeling. He gave him a thorough up and down look before placing his hands on his hips. “Sabrina will be so pleased, mate.”

“Are you teasing me?” Harvey asked suspiciously.

“Tease you? No, never. I'd sooner steal candy from a baby,” Ambrose said with a sly grin.

“Is...is Sabrina happy? That I asked her?” Harvey asked anxiously, cradling the corsage.

“Happy? Are you mad? Sabrina's been giddy all week,” Ambrose told him. “Hell and high water, she's been throwing off all my work.”

“Work--?”

“Mr. Kinkle?”

Harvey jumped, seeing Zelda appear from the side room. She approached, a wash of dark skirts and high necks, like the betrayer in some great dramatic tragedy. Harvey stood at attention as she approached.

“She'll be home by eleven thirty, no ifs, ands, or buts,” Zelda ordered.

“Yes, of course,” Harvey said automatically, nodding so hard that he was sure he was about pop his head off his neck. Zelda looked at him, and Harvey felt like her gaze was peeling back his skin and eating him up from the inside.

“Harvey!”

The spell was broken. Sabrina appeared and Harvey felt like he had been punched in the gut because she was so beautiful. She was dressed in red velvet and tulle, that moved like liquid as she walked. Her hair was braided like golden crown, and her face was flushed and glowing with happiness.

I love her, Harvey thought dizzily. She's divine.

Zelda took a breath, and for a moment Harvey panicked as he was terrified he might've said the words aloud. However when Sabrina took his hands and didn't say anything like “what are you talking about” he breathed a sigh of relief. Zelda’s gasp must have been about how beautiful Sabrina looked. That made far more sense.

“You look so handsome,” Sabrina breathed, as if he were the one glowing and made of starlight. She minded her bottom lip with her teeth, and Harvey tried to look anywhere else.

“You are the one who looks amazing,” Harvey said, and Sabrina's cheeks pinked. He held her corsage out for her. “I got you this.”

“You didn't need to,” Sabrina said.

“I wanted to. Can I...put it on for you?” Harvey asked, unsure.

“Oh curses, I think my teeth are going to rot out,” Ambrose said from the stairs.

“Oh hush,” Hilda said as she clasped her hands over her heart. “They are so lovely.”

Blushing, but undeterred, Harvey took Sabrina's hand. Her skin was cool and like satin against his, and it felt right. As he placed the red and white rose corsage upon her wrist he felt unbearably happy.

“I have something for you too,” Sabrina said. “A boutonniere.”

She fixed the flower upon his jacket. It was pale white and shaped like a trumpet, wreathed in baby's breath and with a pale feather.

“There, perfect,” Sabrina told him and Harvey thought she might also be talking about him which made him almost want to cry.

“Have a good time,” came the surprising goodbye from Zelda, who seemed oddly resigned.

“We will,” Sabrina said and was smiling widely.

“I'll bring her back safely,” Harvey promised.

“Yes, we know you will, dear,” Hilda said. “Bye bye now!”

“Tonight's going to be amazing,” Sabrina said as they intertwined fingers.

“It will be,” Harvey said, not ever wanting to let her go.

* * *

“I had a wonderful time,” Harvey told Sabrina. He was sore from having danced so much. All of his favorite friends had demanded multiple dances from him each, and Sabrina had kept him out until the very last minute she could. But like Cinderella her curfew was up, and he delivered her back home. They were at the end of her driveway and Harvey had gotten out to open the door and help her out, careful of her heels.

“Me too,” Sabrina said, carefully easing out of the car. In the shimmering mist, lit by the moon, Sabrina looked like a drop of pure sunlight. Harvey's hand was on her hand, and she was pressed close.

“Do you think that maybe...we could go out again sometime?” Harvey asked before he lost the courage that he had finally found dwelling deep in his soul.

“Yes,” Sabrina breathed, and her hazel eyes were wide. In the dark they were almost glowing.“Yes, please.”

“I...Sabrina…” Harvey swallowed. He didn't know how to say what he wanted, and didn't even know if he dared ask. She was close, and smelt like rose petals, honey, and candle smoke. And Harvey was certain that he couldn’t dare to dream that she would want to kiss him. But this evening had been a dream come true so who knew?

“Can I kiss you?” Sabrina asked him and his heart soared.

“Yes,” Harvey said without pause.

Sabrina pressed up on her toes and closed the space between them. The kiss lasted for the span of a breath, and yet it felt like the moment was suspended for eternity.

She was soft and sweet, and he cradled her cheek like she could have crumbled away. When she pulled away, he felt light headed. Mint, Harvey thought dizzily. He had the taste of her on his lips and on the tip of his tongue, and his lips were marked by her.

“I'm sorry...I...that was my first kiss,” Harvey said, not knowing what else he should say.

“It was mine too,” Sabrina said in return, forehead pressed against his. “Do you think we could try again sometime?”

“Anytime you want, Sabrina Spellman,” Harvey said, hoping he didn't agree too hastily. Sabrina's laughter was light and airy and comforting. “Let me walk you to your door.”

“That probably wouldn't be wise. I think we're a few minutes past eleven thirty, and I don't want Auntie Z to eat you,” Sabrina told him with a fond look towards her house before looking back at him. “Good night, Harvey Kinkle.”

“Good night,” Harvey said and Sabrina gave him one last time before walking and disappearing into the house.

Harvey melted against the car door, palm pressed against his mouth to try to keep his first kiss there for a little longer.

That feeling would linger all the way back home.


End file.
